Suspensory undershirt.



N0. 637,8l7. Patented Nov. 28, I899.

M.J. NERNEY.

SUSPENSUBY UNDERSHIRT.

' (Application filed Feb. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Shasta-Sheet I,

(wetness es: Evazz (far? No. 637,817. Patented Nov. 28, I899.

\ M. J. NERNEY.

SUSPENSORY UNDERS HIRT.

(Application filed Feb. 3, 1899,)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN J. NERNEY, OF TROY, NE\V YORK.

SUSPENSORY UNDERSHIRT.

"srnorrroArroixr forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,817, dated November as, 1899.

Application filed February 3, 1899. Serial No. 704,350. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN J. NERNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspensory Undershirts, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improveinents; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a front view in elevation of my improved suspensory undershirt with the bands secured to the back. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the back of the garment. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the back, the bands being detached. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bands detached. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the bands attached to a waistbelt. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the undershirt as it appears in use. Fig. 7 shows a modified form of band.

A represents an undershirt which may be of any known form that has the body part long enough to come down just below the hips of the wearer.

B and B are straps or bands provided'with buttonholes B by means of which one end of each band can be secured to the back of the shirt, as upon buttons A and A and the other end of each band secured to the front of the shirt, as upon the buttons A and A The front of the shirt is also, preferably, provided with loops C, adapted to receive the bands. There may be a series of loops on each side of the front, and each band may be provided with a series of buttonholes to aiford adjustment, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. After the wearer has put on the undershirt,with the bands attached to the back, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, he draws up the lower ends between his legs, passes them through one of the loops on the front, and secures them to the buttons on the shirt-front, as seen in Fig. 6, the bands crossing each other between the legs. The loops are slid down the bands and the lower front edge of the shirt is tucked in under the scrotum, the part of the shirt above the loops and between the bands being allowed to project forward and form a sack or bag adapted to contain the male organs and support the scrotum, whereby the lower front portion of the shirt itself forms the suspensory and afiords a soft pliable support which will not chafe or bruise the scrotum and which can be easily and readily adjusted in size and shape to accommodate any wearer.

By securing the front ends of the bands in the end buttonholes the pocket or sack formed in the shirt will naturally have a larger capacity than it would have if the bands were shortened, and in the same manner the pocket will be larger when the bands are passed through outer loops than when passed through theinnerloops. The bands may also be made of some elastic material, as rubber webbing, and thereby increase the yielding nature of the suspensory pocket formed in the shirt.

I not only form a suspensory pocket or sack, but by drawing and fastening together the lower front and back edges of the shirt-body I make the garment much more efiective as a protection against the loss of heat and 'prevent the garment from slipping up on or above the hips, as frequently happens in bicycleriding.

As a protection against loss of heat and slipping upwardly, my improved garment is as useful for women as for men.

The bands being readily detachable from the shirt can be taken off when the shirt is laundered, and at other times, and separately cleansed and purified.

The rear ends of the bands may be secured to a separate waistband D instead of the shirt when desired.

Instead of having the band in the form of two separate straps, as shown in Fig. 4, it may be a single piece 0 in the back, with bifurcate ends 0 and C in front, or in any other desired form adapted to detachably connect the lower front part of the shirt-body with the back part.

In adjusting the size and form of the sack the two sections or straps of the band may be nassed through any two of the loops Q, the lower front part of the shirt body, and respectively-, Q both straps through the satne means for detachably and separately securloop to'secure the desired adjustment. ing the front ends of the band just above the l The attaching mechanism for the ends of guide-loop, substantially as described. l5 5 the band may be of any desired form. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set What I claim as new, and desire to secure my hand this 28th day of January, 1899. by Letters Patent is a i 'T Y l The combination with the body part of a MARTIN NERNEY? shirt, of a band, means for supporting one Witnesses: :0 end of the band at the back'of the shirt, a GEO. A. .MOSHER, guide-loop for the front ends of the band on FRANK O. CURTIS. 

